Excited young guisers will be costumed in their best fancy dress as Halloween festivities comes to the fore this weekend.
Nothing spooky to report here - trick-or-treaters have been given the green light to guise by the Scottish Government this year, unlike last year's muted celebrations.
Carved pumpkins, spiderwebs and masks - and not just the decorative kind - will set the scene for a second Halloween during the pandemic.
Halloween can still be celebrated with get-togethers and guising albeit with things such as vaccine passports when required.
However, partiers and trick-or-treaters will be bound by the same Covid rules in Scotland - with a few notable exceptions.
Covid vaccine passport for nightclubs
Those aged 18 and over can use NHS Scotland's COVID Status app to show their vaccination status.
The current guidance for people going on nights out will require people to prove they are fully vaccinated.
People in Scotland will be be asked to show their Covid status in the following settings:
- late night venues
- live indoor events with over 500 unseated people in the audience
- live outdoor events with over 4,000 people in the audience
- all events with over 10,000 people in the audience
NHS Inform Scotland says: "Your COVID Status must show you're fully vaccinated. It's your responsibility to check the entry rules for venues and events before you go."
Some school discos banned
Scots children hoping to revel in their fancy dress at a Halloween school party will unfortunately not be allowed.
To reduce the risk of Covid spreading in schools, Scottish Government guidance advises that staff should continue to avoid assemblies or large groups of children.
This has led to some schools ditching Halloween celebrations for the second year in a row.
Halloween parties
Those hoping to throw house parties will be under few limits.
There are no physical distancing requirements or limits to the size of social gatherings by the government.
Mask wearing
People indoors in public places will still need to mask up, including those heading to scary films.
The Scottish Government requires people to wear masks. By law, everyone over 12 must wear a face covering in most public places in Scotland.
Places you need to wear a face covering include:
- shops
- bars, restaurants, cafes and nightclubs
- churches and other places of worship
- public transport, including stations and bus stops
- at work (including tradespeople working in people’s homes)
Hand-washing and sanitising
Good hand hygiene, including while out trick or treating, is encouraged, especially before you dig into a stash of Halloween sweets.
In a tweet last week, Nicola Sturgeon wrote: "So please take care: wear masks, wash hands, ventilate indoor spaces and get vaccinated."
